Cisco delivers UK cloud jobs amid continued start-up investment

Sajid Javid MP, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, today joined Cisco UK and Ireland Chief Executive Phil Smith in announcing plans to create 200 new UK jobs for cloud professionals.

Designed to aid in the acceleration of UK digitisation, Cisco announced the new jobs alongside a $2.5m investment in the UK-based Startupbootcamp accelerator.

The 200 new jobs for cloud professionals will be for the Cisco Meraki service, a cloud-based WiFi offering which eases BYOD support while providing flexibility and security for various working practices.

The new jobs at Cisco Meraki in the UK will allow its London-based operations to expand three-fold by early 2017.

The investment in Startupbootcamp, one of the world’s leading startup accelerators, provides Cisco the opportunity to gain early insight into market transitions, build additional exposure to new innovators, and to drive select Cisco technology themes into Startupbootcamp programmes.

Phil Smith, CEO, Cisco UK & Ireland, said: "We see the move to digitise every business as a strong trend in the UK, and yet there are still huge opportunities to improve productivity by further use of digital technology. That is why we are so excited about the investment and growth we are making in the UK and the kinds of skills, jobs and technologies it represents with this investment today."

Cisco is taking a prominent role in accelerating UK digitisation, having earlier this year announced a $1 billion investment in the UK over the next three to five years.

Cisco also already runs its own innovation incubator and accelerator, IDEALondon, in association with University College London (UCL) and DC Thomson.

Last week IDEALondon celebrated its second anniversary with the news that startups residing in the TechCity-based facility have secured more than £10 million in external funding, as well as building over £2 million in revenue, with 100 jobs created as a result.

Rt Hon Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, comments: "Cisco’s creation of 200 new high value jobs is fantastic news and demonstrates their continued commitment to the UK. The scale of Cisco’s investment in the UK is a clear endorsement of our growing digital economy and underlines that Britain is the place to do business."